With a new update to the PlayStation Store, Sony is giving players much more to say about the games in their libraries. The new system goes beyond simply giving star ratings, allowing users to leave detailed written reviews of up to 4,000 characters. While this feature aims to encourage players to share their experiences in depth, it also raises concerns about “review bombing.”

Share your PlayStation gaming experiences, but only on the web for now

This new feature, spotted by Push Square, is currently only available through the PlayStation Store website. Not yet accessible on console, the system was primarily integrated into the web platform, likely due to the difficulty of typing long texts with a controller. Now, if you have something to say about a game, you can grab your keyboard and share your thoughts with other players.

As with any user review system, the biggest concern with this new step from PlayStation is the organized “review bombing” that attempts to disparage or unfairly praise a game. However, Sony appears to have taken some important measures to minimize this risk:

• Ownership Requirement: To write a review for a game, you must own it digitally through the PlayStation Store. This prevents reviews from those who haven’t played the game. (Physical copy owners are currently excluded from the system.)
• Moderation Process: It’s stated that every review is approved by a moderator before it’s published. This will help filter out profanity, insults, and off-topic comments.
• A Serious Platform Tone: Initial observations suggest that users are using the system more seriously and with purpose, unlike the humorous or sarcastic reviews on Steam.

When used correctly, this new feature has the potential to provide much more than just a numerical score to determine whether a game is truly for you. It appears Sony is aiming to create a more constructive community, away from the toxic review culture often seen on platforms like Metacritic.